The present invention relates to a modular electrical device for the delivery of volatile compounds. Various electrically powered devices are used for the delivery of volatile compounds such as air-fresheners and insecticides. Typically these devices are powered by battery or line current, and have a source of heat to volatilize either a wicked liquid, a gel, or a solid containing a fragrance or insecticide. Recently these devices have incorporated certain additional features, such as fans to disperse the volatile compound; night light devices; on-off switches; controls for increasing or decreasing the heat generated by the device and accordingly the amount of volatile material given off; controls for opening or closing apertures and thus controlling air flow and the amount of chemical volatilized; end use indicators; and the like. Because these devices are used in different countries where electrical requirements are different, the devices are also manufactured with different plugs, differing resistance units to generate heat, and/or different voltage light elements, such as for instance those for use in North America, and those for usage in, for example, Europe or Asia.
The complexity and variety of the various items that can be added to the devices has created a problem for both consumers and manufacturers in the assembly, storage of component parts, and the like, because of the diversity of possibilities. The standardization of components, and of a common electrical supply source to which the components might be attached would increase the efficiency of manufacture, lower the cost of manufacture of these devices, and allow for greater variety of choice among additional components by the consumer. This invention is directed to a modular system for the manufacture and construction of electrically powered dispensers to be used to volatilize components such as fragrances and insecticides. While the invention is described in terms related to this specific usage, other usages of the invention set forth are clearly possible. The devices are preferably line voltage powered, but may be powered by batteries, but most have one common element: a source of heat, generally from a resistance element, that helps to volatilize the fragrance or insecticide.
Of interest with respect to the present invention are wicking dispenser devices in which the wicking action is promoted by a heat source. This type of wicking device is described in, among others, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,994,932; 2,597,195; 3,288,556; 3,431,393; 3,482,929; 3,633,881; 4,020,321; 4,968,487; 5,290,546; and 5,364,027; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Additional dispensers of the type often referred to as plug-in diffusers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,849,606, and 5,937,140, which are assigned to S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., of Racine, Wis., both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Of these references, it is noted that U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,140 discloses a fragrance warmer incorporating plug-though capability. The present invention constitutes an improvement upon this reference, optionally permitting addition of an integral night light feature and novel electrical circuitry, and other features, in a unit providing for simpler, less expensive assembly.
In addition to the above, Luthy discloses, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,421, a fragrance dispenser which releases a fragrance from a solid polyamide resin body. The dispenser includes a housing, having at least one opening, disposed adjacent to the resin. A heating resistor is provided in the housing for maintaining an elevated temperature, and a thermally conductive metal heating plate is arranged in the housing in thermally conductive relationship with the heating resistor and configured to at least partially surround and contact the resin body containing the fragrance.
Wang, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,192, discloses a perfumer with an optically controlled night lamp. The perfumer includes a heat conductor wrapped by a heat conductive and fireproof plastic material for generating heat to vaporize a solid perfume, and uniformly disperse the perfume gas. The night lamp is disposed within the perfumer structure and is controlled by an optically sensitive element which turns the lamp on or off in accordance with ambient illumination. The perfumer is powered by a power plug consisting of a pair of identical copper plates having a heat conductor welded there between to form a circuit.
In addition, the incorporation of night lights into electrical vaporizers is also taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,942,090, of Diehl, U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,260, of Elsner, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,079, of Costello. These references, however, fail to provide the conveniences and economies of the present invention.
As indicated, it is well known to provide electrical heating devices for dispensing such materials as air fresheners, deodorizers, and insect control materials. Such devices may often comprise a liquid reservoir of liquid to be dispensed, an electric heater to warm the liquid to cause it to vaporize more readily, and an electrical plug to plug the device into an electric outlet for power.
One example of such a dispenser is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,394, of Hasegawa et al. This reference teaches a cordless thermal vaporizer of the liquid type wherein the body of the vaporizer has a heater for heating a wick for drawing up a chemical solution from a bottle, and a socket disposed under the heater and removably fittable in the form of a cap to the bottle for attachment thereto. The body is reduced in weight and thereby made attachable to an electric outlet with stability. The solution bottle can be attached directly to the socket of the body and is easy to replace. Thus, the patent relates to a thermal vaporizer in which an electric wick warmer is near the top of the assembly, with a bottle containing the vaporizable chemicals suspended below. The reference, in addition, teaches that the plug, located on the back of the vaporizer body, may be rotated through a range of from 0 to 90 degrees to make the arrangement of the plug blades selectively changeable to either a vertical or horizontal orientation, so as to make the vaporizer suitable for use in either vertically or horizontally oriented electrical outlets, a highly desirable option
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,053 of Schroeder et al teaches a vapor dispensing device comprising an electric wick warming block in conjunction with a container of liquid to be dispensed, in which the electric plug is rotatable about an axis parallel to the plug pins. This type of dispenser is exemplary of features provided more conveniently and economically through use of the present invention. The disclosure of this patent and all other publications referred to herein are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.